Fourth Estate/ Viviana Smith

How the beauty of Spring is ruined by constant sneezing

BY VIVIANA SMITH, MANAGING EDITOR

Spring is a beautiful season. The sun gently warms us every time we step outside. Rainy days between April and June bring us refreshing rain that isn’t ice-cold. The weather is comfortable, and we spend the final days of our semester outside eating or working with friends and colleagues. 

These beautiful parts of spring come together to give us a movie-like experience, where the music swells and we fall in love with our life… 

That’s only for those who don’t have to deal with their seasonal allergies. 

For me, spring is my least favorite season because of all the pollen in the air. 

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “pollen is one of the most common triggers of seasonal allergies.” Plants begin to release pollen around February and even earlier in some places. However, the pollen count begins to pick up even more as the flowers open and the bees start buzzing. 

I don’t take advantage of spring’s beauty because my eyes are too puffy to do so. I end up spending the most beautiful spring days indoors. 

You would think an easy solution would be allergy medicine, and sometimes that’s the quick fix I need. Though, when the pollen count is high I bring particles into my home, car and everywhere I go. Like a shadow, the pollen follows me around. 

The flying friends that are responsible for pollination pose another problem for me: a lack of personal space. Though I support Save The Bees, I don’t appreciate their need for a bite of my sandwich or a dip in my beverage. 

Walking to class can be uncomfortable as I constantly rub my eyes and sneeze. Though I take allergy medicine, I try not to use it every day because the price of a refill is worse than my hay fever. 

Most over-the-counter antihistamines, even the generic brands, cost at least $20. If a bottle of allergy medicine contains 26 capsules, and a daily dose helps relieve symptoms, that’s about $60-80 spent in a three-month period… and that’s for nonprescription medication! 

Additionally, many antihistamines contain diphenhydramine, which is known to make people drowsy. For a college student, both the price and the side effects are not ideal. 

Spring is a beautiful season that signals the beginning of something new. The comfortable weather, beaming sun and gentle breeze make the campus look like the college dream most of us hear about. 

However, I can’t enjoy something I’m allergic to.